Christmas Junk Journal Part One

Hi everyone! Wow!!! Christmas is almost here and if you are like me you have good intentions of making gifts for everyone and then you run out of time. Well, I’m here to share a junk journal I created using the Christmas Collection (North Pole) which is 20% off this month over at the Robin’s Nest. These journals are really easy to make and you can knock out several in no time.
The bases for a junk journal is to use what you have on hand. You can use old maps, wall paper, sheets of music, paperbags, pages from books, old ledgers pages, etc. You will need a variety of what I just listed (nine pieces) I started with a 9″x12″ envelope which I folded in half. The papers and bags I chose are smaller and fold those in half too.

Next make a guide on paper of where to poke holes in the spine of the journal and then mark your holes for each page. I have a bottle cap hole punch I used. It works perfectly when you punch each page folded.

Next thread about a yard in a half of red and white baker’s twine on a needle and stitch all pages together and tie off on the spine.

The inside of the journal should look something like this before you start adding cardstock and embellishments.

The cover I used Black and White Holly cardstock which I cut just a little bit smaller than the outside cover. I then inked the cardstock with Powder Puff Limeade Chalking Ink to add just a little more color to it. Next cut a yard of green seam binding in half and adhere to the front and back covers and then glue the Black and White Holly cardstock to the front and back covers. Also the little tag that is attached to the baker’s twine is from a Christmas present tag that I thought was too cute to throw away…which I have several I have saved through the years not knowing what I could use them on. Well, now I do. 🙂

Next to add embellishments to the front cover!!! I added a glimmer misted paper doily with a snowflake ornament with Pearl Dew Drops, St. Nick printable from Ephemera’s Vintage Garden… I also used the backside of Black and White Holly cardstock to matt the St. Nick printout and I also used the Celtic Border Punch from Purple Cows site which is one of our sponsors this month to make the “distressed” border around one of the corners of the matt. Pretty cool huh? So when you get a chance be sure to check out their website for some super fun punches and dies. I also used the Sizzix Medallion diecut is cut from the backside of Snow Covered Glitter Cardstock…which I inked with Limeade chalk ink, book plate, with dew drops and last but not least I cut a banner from Red Distressed Cardstock. There you have it the front cover decorated.

A view of the journal tied.

The inside was so fun to decorate. I used a variety of found objects such as Christmas present tags, stickers and embellishments I received in swaps and also Robin’s Nest product too. The inside cover I used the backside of Red Snowflake Cardstock and the opposite page I used Jolly Dew Drops to decorate Sizzix Christmas Tree Album diecut that cut out from corrugated box and then painted with acrylic paint.

I added a Black journaling block which I made into a pocket to hold the Christmas present tags I had saved. Since the tags had writing on the back I covered them with some scraps of cardstock. Also I used a digi image from Printable from Ephemera’s Vintage Garden and fussy cut it out and added it to the journaling block.

Close up of journaling pocket with Christmas present tags.

I cut a stripe of the Red Snowflake Cardstock and adhered on three side to the page to make a pocket, next I added sequins and dew drops to the center of each snowflake. The opposite page I added a few snowflake stickers with a dew drop in the center of each and spelled out North Pole using red alphabet stickers.

The pull out tag I cut from Flame Glitter Swirl cardstock is actually big enough to add several photos and journaling.

A close up of the North Pole page. I used a Alaska map for this page. Pretty cool huh? 🙂

I kept both of these pages simple. I used Spellbinder’s Oval die to cut Black and White Glitter Pine Tree cardstock die along with a wooden snowflake that I glimmer misted a wooden snowflake and added a Red snowflake, button and dew drop. The music sheet page I simple punched from the Red Distressed Cardstock a scalloped circle and used a cut out and wha-laaa!!!

This is where I am going to stop for now. I will share the rest of my junk journal on November the 30th so be sure to mark your calendar to see how everything turns out. 🙂 Be sure to stop by the Robin’s Nest and check out the awesome Christmas Collection that is on sell 20% off. Also while you are at it be sure to check out the Purple Cows site and see their wonderful selection of dies and punches.